Celia Hart's blog about what's going on in and around her studio.
Art, printmaking, inspirations, gardening, vegetables, hens, landscapes, wild flowers, East Anglia, adventure, travel.

Sunday 22 November 2009

. . . and after the Bazaar

On Friday I stepped out of my usual routine and drove down to Saffron Walden to rendez-vous with Carole at The Riverslade Gallery in Saffron Walden - I was to 'shadow' her for a day to learn how to look after the gallery for when it's my turn to be on duty. There was a lot to learn! We had an enjoyable day, after a quiet morning (I had time to learn about the till!) we had some enthusiastic customers in the afternoon and some good sales - so it was a successful day. With the gallery all packed up and left spick and span, I trudged through the dark lanes to my car and drove home trying hard to remember everything!

So then it was Saturday and the Christmas Bazaar - I'd iced the carrot cakes I'd made earlier in the week, on Friday evening, so once they were packed in cellophane bags I sped up to the village hall to deliver the cakes for the cake stall and teas and to bag a pitch my stall. Then it was back down the hill to home to pack all my stuff in the car, get it into the hall and my stall set up.

The time flew past and with everything set out the first customers were arriving through the door!

The hall ebbed and flowed with people, a first wave looked at all the stalls and considered without buying, there was a lull as most people tucked into the delicious cakes before a flurry of spending. All in all a pretty good day, even without record breaking sales. And it was fun to have two lovely neighbouring stallholders . . .

To one side was one of my neighbours from the village, Christina Friel with her stylish selection of new and vintage costume jewellery and accessories. Christina has a expert eye for what's in fashion, you can find her stall on Cambridge Market every Sunday.

And on the other side, the lovely Mrs P, aka Silverpebble with her array of shiny silver and bead jewellery. She was even beavering away behind her stall with her pliers and silver wire, creating a gorgeous oriental style pendant!

So, that was lots of fun and great to catch up with the gossip too! With all packed away, cars loaded up, we said goodbye and headed off into the dark blustery night. I'd just got everything in from the car to my studio when Cliff pointed to a note on the calendar "Church Flowers" - oops! I'd clean forgotten! That's the trouble with living in a small village, you get put on rotas! So on with the boots and mac, and torch and secateurs in hand I walked to the church, lucky I know where the light switches are! And lucky too that there had recently been a wedding and all that was needed was a bit of pruning and tweaking. Can I sit down now please?

This morning we woke early, Cliff was leading a walk of 15 miles and I loyally said I would join the group for the morning (9 miles). I could hear wind and rain outside :-(

But by the time I'd eaten my porridge the sky was cloudless and blue! Fingers crossed the forecast squally rain would be in the afternoon (when I'd be back home in the warm!). We strode out along the Devil's Dyke, squinting into the low winter sun and trying to avoid slipping on the treacherous wet exposed chalk. All was going splendidly! We saw a herd of over twenty Fallow Deer, including a couple of pure white ones - what a treat! But the sunshine didn't last - at around midday the heavens opened and the wind lashed us with gale force gusts soaking us in next to no time! I was a tiny bit relieved that I had opted out of walking in the afternoon and my car was at the lunch point for me to hop in and drive home! But it was a very good walk - if it had been dry I would have carried on to complete the full distance ;-)

There was something I had to do before getting out of my wet clothes and boots - tidy up the hen-house and collect the eggs . . . Oh!! that's not a hen . . .

Hope that you too had a good weekend! I'll be back soon, but I've one or two deadlines to meet this week, so no blogging until they are done.

Celia
x

16 comments:

  1. I so wanted to get to your bazaar - but I got caught up in a felting workshop and then the rain :(

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  2. What a busy weekend you had. Gorgeous piccie of your cat in the henhouse. We had lashing rain and winds in the middle of the night: it woke me up most unceremoniously!

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  3. Such industry!

    I had really hoped to come along yesterday but life got in the way - I'm glad to hear it all went well!

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  4. What a weekend, it sounds like you had a good time!
    Love the cat!

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  5. Now that is a post!

    Glad that you did have some good fortune visit the bazaar.

    You made me laugh with that late realization that flowers were needed for Sunday morning at the church.

    Just hoping that all this weekend excitement will encourage you to lots of creativity as Monday, Tuesday and the lot arrive.

    And what was that egg doing there?
    xo

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  6. wish I could have been at your bazar...suppose there is nothing left to put on etsy...oh well:-)
    Alison.

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  7. glad to read that the rain hasn't flattened you! & straw makes for a lovely bed when it's damp & raw out :)

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  8. Hello, just to let you know I’ve passed on a blogging award to you. Find out on planetpenny.wordpress.com,
    Love Penny x

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  9. I love the photo of your cat snugged up with the eggs!
    Glad the bazaar went well - I've seen Christina in Cambridge Market, her stall is gorgeous!
    What a great weekend you had - seeing those fallow deer would have been up there as best highlight for me.

    Hope you hit those deadlines!

    Jeanne x

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  10. Hi Feltmaker - hope you had fun felting!

    Hi Shirl - I think we've been lucky, the storms have been not too bad around here, so far.

    Hi Dottycookie - hope to see you again soon!

    Hi Dimple - She knows a cosy place when the weather's bad!

    Hi Frances - mmmm, flower arranging was the last thing I wanted to do!

    Hi Allycoll - a package of goodies is being assembled for you :-)

    Hi Petoskystone - we're in a relatively dry and sheltered part of England, our thoughts are with the people of Cumbria.

    Hi Penny - how exciting!

    Hi Jeanne - seeing the deer sparked of all sorts of ideas for new prints - I dashed home to write notes in my sketch book! Christina's stall is highly recommended if you want to look stunning at the Christas party!!

    Celia
    x

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  11. You are brave, that walk sounds epic! Did puss manage to hatch that egg? Px

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  12. That's definitely not a hen! What had he done with the chickens?

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  13. I have given your blog a little mention on my site. I hope it meets with your approval!

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  14. Hi Penny - I felt great after the walk! But I did get very very wet and it was lovely to get in warm bath!

    Hi Matron - I wonder if she's broody! The hens were hopping around outside, desparately wanting to lay!

    Thank you Acornmoon - very kind words.

    Celia
    x

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  15. I love how your writing takes me on a journey. Don't you just love Bazaars? We also call them Craft shows here, and they are just so fun. The last two winters I was a vendor at some of the local ones with Bernies photogaphy and some of my other crafts. This year I just did not quite feel up to them, but I am missing them in a way.

    I love how you make new friends with the other crafters, and see old friends again. Its also wonderful to see how everyone is being creative. And to share your art with the world around you.

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  16. Oops, that last comment was from dowhatyoulove, not natural moments..... =)

    Oh, and I forgot to say, that photo of your cat is too cute. Is she keeping the eggs warm? =)

    I don't think our chickens would be happy with that situation..... But who knows, maybe they would make a new friend.

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